Playground apparatus



.E. L. SENSEMAN AND A. P. ZIEGLER. PLAYGROUND APPARATUS.

I APPLICATION FILED NOV. 7, I9I9. 1,344,725. Patented June 29, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

E. L.. SENSEMAN AND A. P. ZIEGLER.

PLAYGROUND APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV- 7. 1919.

Patented June 29, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EVERETT L. sENsEMniv Am ALFRED P. ZIEGLER, 0F SHILO SPRINGS, OHIO, i

ASSIGNOBS To EVERETT L.'sENs A1v, or DAYTON, 01110.

PLAYGROUND APPA ATUS.

' Specification of Letters Patent. I Patented June 29, 1920.

Application filed November 7. 1919. Serial No. 336.338.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, EVERETT L. SENsE- MAN and ALFRED P. ZIEGLER,citizens of the United States, residing at. Shilo Springs, in the countyof Montgomery and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Playgrounds Apparatus, of which the following is aspecification.

Our invention relates to a new and useful apparatus for playgrounds andcomprises a combined seesaw and merry-go-round having the structuralcharacteristics hereinafter described and claimed.

The object of the invention is to provide an amusement apparatus with anadjustable fulcrum upon which it tilts, and which also revolves at thesame time, and which is comparatively inexpensive and has a maxi mumcapacity for pleasure and safety.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate the invention Figure 1 isa top plan view of the combined seesaw and merry-go-round. Fig. 2 is aside elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is an enlarged section on the line 3-3 ofFig. 1. Fig. 4 is an enlarged top plan of the central part of theapparatus. Fig. 5 is a detail elevation of one of the changeable fulcrumplates, and Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of one of the fulcrumplates removed from one of the side bars constituting the frame.

In a more particular description of-the invention similar referencecharacters indicate corresponding parts in the several views of thedrawings.

The tilting and revolving frame of the apparatus is constructed of lightbut strong material, such as oak wood. and consists of side bars 1 whichare united by cross pieces 2- at the center, and the ends of which arebrought together and united by cleats 3-. Seats -l are secured on theends of the frame thus constructed by means of bolts which pass throughthe cleats -3-1 The seats 4.- have backs to lean against and "portionsare cut out of the sides of the seats as at 5- for the childs legs topass through. Thus the seats are made secure and safe for the childrenusing the pleasure apparatus. The combined seesaw or tilting andrevolving frame thus constructed is supported on a fulcrum frameconsisting of a cros frame 7 which extends down and at the center isprovided with an opening for a king bolt to be again referred to, as

shown in Fig. 3. The said frame is pivotally supported at its centerupon a head 8-- by means ofthe king bolt 9 which is secured by a nut--10 and washer *l1. The rod 12 constitutes the fulcrum upon which theseesaw frame 1 tilts, and the king bolt 9 is the pivot upon which itrevolves. Thefulcrum rod 12 may vary in its position from the ends ofthe frame as shown in Fig. 1 to a point on one side of the center in theevent greater weight is on one side thereof. That is to say, the fulcrumpoint may be adjusted to remove it farther from one end of the framethan the other. This change in the location of the fulcrum of thetilting frame is enabled by means of the fulcrum plates 13- of whichthere is one on each side of the frame approximately at the center. Theside frame members 1 are provided with openings in which said fulcrumplates are mounted. The said fulcrum plates have elongated openings 14with pockets -15 in the upper edges thereof in which the fulcrum rod 12is confined. The openings in the side frame members 1 receive theoff-set portions 16 of the fulcrum plates and when said fulcrum platesare in such positions they form the bearings for the frame. The saidfulcrum plates 13-- may be secured by screws or otherwise. the nuts -17-which screw onto the ends of the fulcrum rod 12 and tighten against thefulcrum plates have been found sufficient to maintain the fulcrum platesin position. On the inside of each nut a washer 18 is placed that coversthe particular pocket 15- that the rod 12 may be in. On the inside ofthe frame members 1- and between them and ends of the In the presentcasecross frame -7, washers -19- are placed I and through which the endsof the fulcrum rod -12 project in entering the pockets -15 in thefulcrum plates. As shown in Fig. 2 the rod 12 occupies end pockets insaid plates, which indicates that the tilting frame is balanced. Thehead block --8 supports the king bolt 9--, which as stated, forms theturning pivot of the frame. The said king bolt passes into a socket inthe head and is prevented from rising by a head -20 on the end thereofand a washer 2l. Suitable means such as a nut -10 combines with the head20 to prevent the pivot -9 from becoming accidentally displaced when theapparatus is in use.

The cross lines, Fig. 2, indicate the movements on the fulcrum rod -l2,during which movements the frame with its 0ccupants revolves upon thecentral pivot formed by the king bolt 9.

Having described our invention, we claim:

In a play-ground apparatus, elongated side frame members having openingsin the central parts thereof in alinement, fulcrum plates secured withinsaid openings with longitudinal openings therein and a plurality ofpockets extending from said open- 15 ings, a fulcrum rod extending intosaid longitudinal openings and engaging said pockets, a cross framemember having its ends extended upwardly and through which ends the saidfulcrum rod passes, a head 20 EVERETT L. SENSEMAN.

ALFRED P. ZIEGLER.

